Device for presenting healds to a hook for drawing-in warp threads



April 1, 1958 H. MEIERHOFER 2,828,527 DEVICE FOR PRESENTING HEALDS TO A HOOK FOR DRAWING-IN WARP THREADS Filed July 26, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Hua'o MEI EIPHO FEe A TTOAIVEK i 1, 1958 H. MEIERHOFER 2,828,527

DEVICE FOR PRESENTING HEALDS TO A HOOK FOR DRAWING-IN WARP THREADS Filed July 26, 1955 3.Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

HUGO MEI E/PHOFE'I2 A ril 1, 1958 H. MEIERHOFER 7 DEVICE FOR PRESENTING HEALDS TO A HOOK FOR DRAWING-IN WARP THREADS Filed July 26, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. Huso MEIEQHOFE United States Patent DEVICE FOR PRESENTING HEALDS TO A HOOK FOR DRAWING-IN WARP THREADS Hugo Meierhofer, Uster, Switzerland, assignor to Zellweger A. G. Apparateund Maschinenfabriken Uster, Uster, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzeriand Apparatus -are known in which the warp threads are individually presented to a hook for drawing a warp thread into the eye of aheald and in which the healds after being threaded are filed on heald rods in a predetermined sequence. In these apparatus a magazine of healds is provided from which the healds are individually separated to be threaded. The healds are filed in the magazine in a row ona pair of rods and the healds are consecutively separated 'fromthe end of the row. This "is'ys'temof prescntingthehealds to the drawing-in hook is practicable only, if all healds-are identical.

.Ther'eare, howe cases in which the healds are differentflatleast withv respect to the manner in which they are "filed on 'the heald frames. For example, .the healds may bealternatingly turned to one side and to the other side out of the planeof the supporting eyes at the ends of the healds. When such h'ea'lds "are threaded in the 'conventional mannerdescribed above -'it is necessary that tlredificrent lhealds are presented t'o-thedrawing-in hook in the sequence which corresponds to that in which the threaded healds must be arranged in the heald frame.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for presenting healds in a predetermined sequence to the drawing-in hook of a conventional warp thread drawing-in machine. For this purpose the healds are arranged in a plurality of rows. Each row contains identical healds whereas the healds of different rows may be different. The healds are separated from the rows in a predetermined sequence.

The novel features which are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself however and additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of the embodiments thereof when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic, perspective illustration of a part of a device according to the invention Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic, perspective illustration of the device shown in Fig. 1 in a different operating position;

Fig. 3 is a top view of the heald separating portion of the heald separating means used in the device according to the invention;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic, perspective illustration of a modified device according to the invention.

The same numerals designate the same parts in all figures.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawing, numeral 1 designates a drawing-in hook having a rear end 1' whose diameter is greater than that of the stem )f the hook and which is axially guided in a guide 2. a connecting rod 5 connects the rear end of the hook 1 with a cam 4 in a main shaft 3 which makes one revolu- 2,828,527 Patented Apr. 1, 1958 2 tion for each weft thread tobe drawn into the eye of a heald 6 or 7, the cam 4 acting as a crank producing a reciprocating motionof the hook 1. In the position shown in Fig. 1 the -hook.1'has been advanced so that the point of the hook passed through the eye of a'heald 6, whereupon the hook grips a warp thread, not shown, in the conventional manner, pulling the thread upon return of the hook through the eye of the heald 6. The healds which are held ready to be threaded are arranged in two rows 6 and 7, a shaft stave 8 extending through the upper eyes of the healds v6 forming one row and ashaft stave 9 extending through the upper eyes of the healds 7 forming a second row. Helical springs .10 and .11 are wound around the shaft staves 8 and 9, respectively, pressing the healds 6 and7 by means of sleeves 28 and 29, respectively, against a heald presenting device which is described below. When a heald is presented to the drawing-in hook or needle at least the center portion of the heald in which the heald eye is located is turned out of the plane it occupied while still .in the row.

An upper frame 12 supporting the staves or supports Sand 9 is connected with avertical, rotatable shaft 13. A lower frame 12' which is identical to the upper frame supports lower shaft staves, 10' and 11' which extend arm 14 extending-at a right-gngle-from the shaft 13.

The free end of the arm 14 carries a roller 15 which follows a cam 16 mounted on a vertical shaft 17. The latter is rotated by the .main shaft 3 through a-spur gear 19, a shaft 30, and bevel gears 18. g

The gears 19 and 18 and the cam 16 are so constructed that the movement of the frame 12 is such 'that the free ends of the staves 3 and 9 are-brought at the correct time into the position requiredior removing the outermost healds. I

In the positionofthe device illustrated inFig. 1 the rod 8 and the row .'of thehealdsfiare in the position-in which they can cooperate with the device for parting the healds.

The parting or separating device is conventional, including a parting knife 20 and a holder 21 which are both mounted on a rail 22 which is longitudinally guided in a guide 23.

Each of the elements 29 and-'21 is provided with a longitudinal abutment against which the outermost healds of the rows of healds are pressed by the springs 10 and 11 and along which the outermost healds slide upon relative displacementof the separating device and the supports for the healds.

Longitudinal movement of the rail 22 is effected by means of a two arm lever 24 which swings on a shaft 25. The lower end of the lever is provided with a roller 26 following the cam 4. Engagement of the roller 26 with the cam 4 is maintained by a spring 27 having one end connected with a stationary part and the other end with the lever 24. At each counterclockwise swing of the lever 24 the knife 20 separates the outermost heald from its row. For ensuring correct insertion of the hook 1 into the heald eye a conventional guide for the separated heald may be provided which does not form part of the present invention and which is not shown.

Whereas Fig. 1 illustrates the frame 12 in a position for separating a heald 6 from its staple, Fig. 2 illustrates the frame 12 in a position for separating a heald 7 from its staple. Due to the provision of a movable frame for the healds 6 and 7 the stroke of the heald separating or selecting device 20 to 26 can be limited to that necessary for effecting the heald separating operation which is illustrated in Fig. 3. For separating the outermost heald 6' from its staple the members 21 and 20 are moved to the left in Fig. 3 until the heald 6' is in the separated cams 40 and 41,

. 3 position shown in dotted lines and the remaining healds 6" rest against the member 20. Upon return of the members and 21 to the right in Fig. 3 the relative position of the healds and of the members 20 and 21 will be as shown in solid lines in Fig. 3; If the frame 12 is in the position shown in Fig. 2, after counterclockwise rotation of the shaft 13, the healds 6 in Fig. 3 will be replaced by the healds 7 and the outermost heald'7 will be separated upon movement-of the members 20', 21 to the left in Fig. 3. The healds to beconsecutively threaded by a warp thread-are selected by suitable configuration of thecam16.

Fig. 4 illustrates a modification of the device according to the invention in which the frame 12" is stationary. There is, of course, also a stationary lower frame, not shown. The drawing-in needle or hook I is supported for axial movement by a'stationary support 2' and the needle is reciprocated by means of a crank 4' and a connecting rod 5." A rod 32 carrying a knife and a retainer 31 is guided for longitudinal movement in stationary guides 34 and 34'. A spring 35 having one end connected to the rod 32 and the other end connected with a stationary part tends to pull the rod 32 and parts connected thereto to the left in Fig. '4. 'The left end of the rod 32 is-pivotedat 36 to a'lever 37 carrying at eachend a cam follower'roller 38f39r Roller 38 engages a cam 40 which is fast with drive shaft 3. Roller 39 engages a cam 41 which is fast on an auxiliary shaft 45 which is driven by the 'main shaft 3 by means of sprocket wheels'43,f44,-=anda chain 42. Selection of the heald staples'fro'mwhich the healds are-consecutively separated is effected y "*suitable configuration of the While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be' apparent to those skilled in the art that various" changes,- modifican'ons, substitutions, additions and omissions maybe' made therein -without departing from "the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the'appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1. A device for individually presenting healds to a hook for drawing warp threads into the eyes of the healds,

comprising a frame including a plurality of support means adapted to individually support a row ofhealds, a single separating device adapted to engage one heald at atime of a selected one of said rows for separating individual healds from said rows and presenting individual healds to the hook for drawing a warp thread into the eye of the presented heald, and means for changing therelative position of said single separating device and of said support means for selectively separating healds from the heald rows in a predetermined sequence.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 in which said s'eparating device includes abutment means against which the outermost of the healds of said rows of healds abuts prior to being separated from the respectiverow and in which resilient means are associated with said support means for urging said rows of healds toward said abutment means.

3. A device according to claim 2 in which said abutment means are in the form of longitudinal guide surfaces along which slide the outermost healds upon relative displacement of said separating device and of said support means.

4. A device as defined in claim 1 in which said frame is movable and which includes a mechanism connected with said frame for moving the latter for presenting individual heald rows in a predetermined sequence to said separating means, said separating means being connectedlwith said mechanism for synchronous actuation of saidframe and of said separating means.

5. A device as-defined in claim 1 in which said frame is stationary and whichincludes a mechanism for-factuating' s'aid separating means, said 'mechanisnifincluding means for moving said separating means adjapent to the individual heald rows in a predetermined sequence for individually separating a heald from a selected1row.ff

7 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kieke Feb. 411 1911 Drake July 27;}1948 

